The present invention relates to image formation for producing image prints (hereinafter referred to as “photographic prints” or “prints”) from images photographed with a digital still camera or the like and packing the image prints, and more specifically to an image forming method and apparatus for suitably preventing inappropriate from being packed, or an image forming method and apparatus for suitably dealing with packed prints in image output in which prints are automatically packed.
Digital still cameras have come into more widespread use along with the popularization of a personal computer (PC), a personal digital assistance (PDA), or the like. A portable telephone having a photographing function has also become popular.
Images photographed by a digital still camera or a portable telephone are input to a PC, where the images are processed and then used for various applications as in a website or on a new year greeting card. However, there is a strong demand for preserving such photographed images as high-quality photographic prints. To meet such a demand, laboratories or other specialized shops have recently started to produce prints from images photographed by a digital still camera or a portable telephone.
When an order for producing prints from images photographed by a digital still camera is placed with a laboratory, for example, a print order receiver (hereinafter referred to as “receiver”) installed in a store such as a laboratory, various commercial facilities or the like is used to place the order.
Generally, when a recording medium such as a memory card, an IC card or a CD-R for storing photographed images (image data) is loaded on the receiver, or a digital still camera or a portable telephone is connected to the receiver directly or by using connection means, the receiver reads the images and displays the images together with an order screen on a display.
A customer inputs order information including images to be printed, print sizes, the number of prints for each image and the like by using a touch panel display or a predetermined inputting method. When an order is established and an output instruction is issued, the images and the order information are related to each other and sent to, for example, a sever or an image processor of a laboratory, and the images are supplied therefrom to a digital photo printer, where prints are produced in accordance with the order information, and the produced prints are outputted.
Recently, so-called Internet orders have also been made in which a personal computer at one's own home functions as a receiver by installing photograph ordering software or browsing a laboratory website through a communication network such as the Internet, and images and order information are sent to a laboratory or the like through a communication device to order print production.
In a conventional case where a print is produced from a photographic film, a print production order is received in a store such as a laboratory, and a dedicated bag called “DP bag” is used for recording contact information (such as the name, address, and telephone number) and the like of a customer or a print orderer and for receiving the photographic film (film cassette or cartridge) therein. At the time of the print production, the photographic film is taken out of the DP bag to be subjected to development processing, and (finished photographic) prints are produced using the developed film. Then, the prints and the developed film are packed in the DP bag and are delivered to the customer.
In contrast to this, in print production from images photographed with a digital still camera or the like, there exists no photographic film. Therefore, mere simple work for delivery is necessary and a whole process from print production to packing of the prints can be automated.
For instance, JP 2003-35938 A discloses a digital photo printer (photograph processing machine). The photo printer includes an order information storage part for storing order information, an image data storage part for storing image data to be used for producing (photographic) prints, an image exposure part for producing the prints by exposing a photosensitive material based on the image data, an order information control unit for converting the order information into image data and controlling the image exposure part to produce an order information print by exposing the photosensitive material based on the image data, and print receiving means for storing the prints and the order information print in a print storage bag. Alternatively, the photo printer further includes a mechanism for closing the print storage bag containing the order information print and a predetermined number of prints.
As described above, in print production from images photographed with a digital still camera or the like, there is no need to deal with a film, which makes it possible to automatically perform a whole process from print production to packing of the prints, thereby greatly reducing time and labor at a laboratory or the like.
However, in print production in which outputted prints are automatically packed, it is impossible to check (inspect) the prints thus produced. Therefore, when inappropriate prints have been produced for some reason, this leads to a possibility that the defective prints be provided to a customer as they are. In order to avoid such a problematic situation, the packed prints have to be taken out of the bag for inspection, which adversely increases the time and labor at a laboratory or the like.
As regards the bag for the automatic packing, it is preferable that the bag be made in a size slightly larger enough to contain the most general print size, to which the bag is supposed to correspond, in terms of material efficiency and production cost. However, for instance, in a case where the prints come in various sizes including an L size, an H size, and in a DSC size, or in a case where the prints come in multiple sizes which is so-called a mixed printing according to one order, there is a case where it is difficult to appropriately pack prints having sizes larger than a set print size in a bag, which may lead to a trouble. Conversely, when the bag corresponds to a large print size, prints in all sizes can be contained in the bag. However, there occurs an inconvenient situation in which smaller prints rotate and move in the bag, and stacked and bundled prints are disordered in the bag.
In addition, while a printer designed for print production dealing with no film can attain automatic packing, it is difficult for the printer to deal with a print production from a film, for the film must be returned to a customer.